UPND says adoption of President Edgar Lungu as the ruling party’s 2016 presidential candidate does not intimidate the opposition in the country. And a political Activist says the adoption of Edgar Lungu as the PFs presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2016 tripartite elections does not guarantee the party outright victory. THE adoption of President Edgar Lungu as the ruling Patriotic Front’s (PF) 2016 presidential candidate does not intimidate the United Party for National Development (UPND), says UPND Deputy Spokesperson.
And a political Activist said the adoption of Edgar Lungu as the PFs presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2016 tripartite elections does not guarantee the party outright victory.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka Star, UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said the adoption of Edgar Lungu did intimidate the UPND or any other opposition political party in the country.
The UPND deputy spokesperson wondered how the adoption of President Lungu would intimidate the UPND when members of the public had lost confidence in the ruling government.
He said Zambians have been subjected to a lot of problems under the leadership of President Lungu adding that under his (Edgar Lungu) leadership, Zambia is experiencing historical load shedding and increased cost of living.
“This is the president whose regime is supervising and promoting poverty among Zambians … the cost of fuel in the country is still going upwards,” Mr. Mweetwa said.
Mr. Mweetwa was however quick to note that the adoption of the PFs presidential candidate was an internal matter that confined to the boundary of the party.
Meanwhile, political activist Dante Saunders said the 2016 tripartite elections will be a tight race and hard to predict.
He said the adoption of Edgar Lungu gave the party (PF) a 50/50 chance of winning the elections.
“The adoption of Edgar Lungu by the PF as the party’s presidential candidate for the coming elections in 2016 is an internal matter for the ruling party … the cherry-picking of the current president doesn’t guarantee them victory,” he added. “Any party can have any presidential candidate of their choice, but we still have to see who will survive in the end.”
The PF central committee recently unanimously affirmed its decision to adopt President Lungu as its presidential candidate in the 2016 Presidential elections.
Party secretary general Davis Chama told journalists at State House after a PF central committee meeting that “the party does not want a repeat of what happened last year after the demise of late President Sata.
“The central committee has affirmed the decision interpreting our party constitution that we already have our presidential candidate for 2016 in the name of President Lungu … This is according to our party,” he explained.
Opposition not intimidated by adoption of Lungu as PF presidential candidate – Mweetwa
